


I'm not falling, I'm diving

by depresane



Category: Neverwinter Nights
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Game Spoilers, Rescue, draft, garbage fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2019-07-10
Packaged: 2020-06-25 20:06:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19752895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/depresane/pseuds/depresane
Summary: Solid spoilers, and screw the canon.





	I'm not falling, I'm diving

Out of nowhere, days after Desther's death, it was decided that Fenthick should be arrested. Aribeth stood petrified, stricken with doubt. Later, right before his trial, she tried to calm down. "He'll be given a community sentence," she thought repeatedly.  
But the trial was short. Fenthick wasn't allowed to explain or elaborate. After a chain of yes-no questions, he was sentenced to death.  
Just like that.  
She tried to reach Lord Nasher after the trial but he wouldn't react to her voice. As if his mind was absent.  
Then, she ran to the temple. On her way, she could hear malevolent laughter, rumours, screams of joy... Clauses like "serves him right" and "maybe his bitch should be sentenced, too."  
Was she even in Neverwinter anymore?  
At the temple, she lied down on the floor and prayed. "Is this truly justice, Tyr? Is this Your will?"  
Silence.  
"Was the plague also Your will?"  
Silence.  
  
Gods speak only when it is convenient to them.  
  
At home, Aribeth doffed her breastplate. She forced herself to take a deep breath. She wondered. She considered.  
  
The sun set. A group of guards was chatting. They planned to leave the City Core.  
But a citizen yelled in a distance, "Fire!"  
A half of a division arrived to see Aribeth's house in flames.  
"Is she inside?!" a guard asked a witness.  
"I don't know! I just felt the smoke and ran here!"  
  
May they all lose their paths in confusion.  
  
Another group of militia officers left the city's prison. They were holding Fenthick as he was walking and tripping, chains on his feet.  
They say that hope dies last, but his hope was gone days ago. Fear prevailed.  
But then! A bottle shattered and let loose smoke. The guards at the front were choking and crying; the rest stepped back, pulling Fenthick away.  
They didn't know yet.  
A spear emerged from the dark and went through a guard's head.  
Three left.  
Finally, they spotted Aribeth standing on a branch of a tree. They drew their swords and turned to the prisoner.  
However, she had more spears with her. She threw two simultaneously, killing one officer and injuring another in his right armpit. She focused, aimed, and hit the third guard, piercing his neck.  
One left. He tried holding his sword with his left hand. But Fenthick started jumping; he got far enough. The guard ran after him; he got close enough to the tree.  
Aribeth landed with her feet on a helmet, knocking the last officer.  
It was over.  
  
She carried Fenthick on her shoulder. They fled.  
  
She uncuffed him in the woods. It took an hour because she wasn't skilled with lockpicks. Then, she cut her hair. They wept together.  
She asked, "What happened to this city, my love? What happened to Tyr and Nasher?"  
His answer was sharp. "Nothing happened. You simply woke up."


End file.
